Vital Stats

"Not so 'Smart' after all?" The older gentleman in the grocery store parking lot asked as I wheeled my loaded cart to the back of the 2012 Scion iQ.

On the contrary, sir. After he finished chuckling and drove away, I successfully loaded $150 worth of groceries into the iQ's cargo area, including a pallet of 24 water bottles. And upon returning to my loft, I effortlessly backed the little Scion underneath the awning that covers the entrance to my building, keeping myself out of the rain while unloading my goods.

Seems pretty smart to me.

But that's not the only reason why I like the iQ. Once you get past the novelty of its you-can-park-me-anywhere size, you aren't left with a completely miserable little machine. The Scion's list of good virtues doesn't consist of a single, solitary bullet point, and during my week with the tiniest Toyota, I was determined to see if the iQ was more than just a smarter Smart. There's a smattering of excellent subcompact offerings available to Americans these days. To say we could all do without the ForTwo is a no-brainer. The iQ, however, certainly has potential.

Let's back up for a moment and talk about the fact that the older gentleman mistook the iQ for its arch nemesis, the Smart ForTwo. He wasn't the only one who did that during my week with the Scion, one of my neighbors stating that she "hates the Smart car." It's understandable why people still aren't recognizing the iQ for what it is. Scion chose to roll out its microcar in a similar fashion to how the brand's first two offerings – the xA and xB – were launched in the early 2000s. Sales started on the west coast, moved to key markets on the east coast and are now slowly starting to proliferate throughout the rest of the country – I have yet to see another one on the roads around Detroit.

Scion is already outselling the Smart – 4,382 to 3,670 despite not being on sale in all markets for all months.

Even with this slow and steady introduction to the United States, the iQ is doing fairly well for itself. Through the first five months of this year, the Scion is already outselling the Smart – 4,382 to 3,670 despite not being on sale in all markets for all months.

Let's talk about the Scion's sheer smallness, however. At 120.1 inches long (that's just a tick over ten feet), the little scamp can fit horizontally into some larger parking spaces, though this technically isn't legal. Compared to the ForTwo, the iQ is 14 inches longer, 4.7 inches wider (66.1 total) and 1.6 inches shorter in height (59.1). Scion offers the iQ with standard 16-inch wheels that are comically large compared to its diminutive size, and the Hot Lava test car you see here was even fitted with TRD lowering springs, making those alloys seem like the largest possible rollers you could fit inside those tiny wheel wells.

You can't help but smile when you see the tiny iQ on the road. It doesn't pander its overt cuteness like the ForTwo. Instead, it's decidedly aggressive – call it tiny-tough – with specific elements like the upright front fascia with large air intakes flanking either side, or the wheels that are pushed out as far as possible to all four corners (with hilariously oversized plastic wheel covers or the sharp dark alloys like you see here) driving this home in a big way. And the iQ's large exterior features matched with its small size actually drive home the fact that it's surprisingly big inside.

It's decidedly aggressive – call it tiny-tough.

Fold down the rear seats and there's 16.7 cubic feet of cargo space, including a small (but deep) tray between the rear bench and the liftgate – perfect for stowing the headrests. No, 16.7 cubic feet isn't a ton of space, but that's still 4.7 more cubes than you get in the Smart. And when you're talking about a car as tiny as the iQ, that's quite good.

Attention automakers: If you want a lesson in packaging excellence, spend a few days with the Scion iQ.

Toyota's engineers have come up with a number of space-saving solutions here in the iQ. The glovebox has been removed in favor of larger storage pockets in the doors and there's a sliding storage space under the passenger seat, but what's most useful is the open floor space aft of the center console between the two front seats. It's perfect for small bags or things that you'd otherwise plop on the rear seats, and alleviates the need to tip the driver's chair forward to securely stow your stuff.

Your best bet is to consider this car a two-seater with a surprisingly capacious load area.

Furthermore, close attention was paid to things like the suspension design, steering setup and even fuel tank placement, all of which was efficiently packaged to achieve 73.8 cubic feet of total passenger volume – 28.4 more than the Smart. It's basically a Smart-and-a-half. Technically, Scion calls the iQ a four-seater (well, a three-plus-one), but we'll agree with what we said in our First Drive and say that your best bet is to consider this car a two-seater with a surprisingly capacious load area. Need to schlep people around in the rear seats? They'll be fine, but for their sake, only do it on short journeys.

Then again, even with just two passengers, long trips are not the iQ's forte. Sure, the front seats are genuinely comfortable (though seriously lacking any sort of side bolstering) and the interior is a pleasant place to be, but there's ample wind noise at speed, not to mention a constant buzzing from the compact engine.

Toyota has employed a 1.3-liter inline four-cylinder engine to power the iQ, putting out 95 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque. Small numbers, no doubt, but in a total package that only weighs 2,127 pounds, it's perfectly adequate. It's not quick, this iQ – hitting 60 miles per hour will take close to 12 seconds (even the frumpy Prius V is a second and a half quicker) – and it certainly doesn't sound like it wants to be pushed, either. Hard throttle applications will hold the continuously variable transmission up past 4,500 RPM, a sound that you'll enjoy imitating with a loud, "waaahhhhhhhh." Still, around town, you'll never feel like you're struggling to keep up with traffic.

Toyota states that the iQ can hit 100 mph, though good luck getting there.

Toyota does state that the iQ can hit 100 mph, though good luck getting there. Realistically, the iQ is perfectly fine cruising at highway speeds – even 80 mph feels fine – whereas the Smart struggles to move past 70 mph. Still, highways are not the Scion's happy zone.

Careful with those revs, though. You might think that such a low-powered, lightweight package would be great on fuel economy, but the best it'll do is 37 miles per gallon on the highway (36 city). When the benchmark for substantially larger cars is 40-plus mpg, this is indeed disappointing.

The iQ is happiest bobbing around town, and really, it's quite entertaining. That's largely thanks to the excellent steering setup – specifically, the 12.9-foot turning radius. This car can nearly turn around in itself, and because of that, it's hilariously fun to toss it around corners or impress your friends with U-turns on narrow roads.

Compared to its closest rival, the ForTwo, the iQ is leaps and bounds better. It drives like a real car.

The front track is a generous 58.1 inches wide (57.5 out back), and combined with a short wheelbase of only 78.7 inches, the squared-off dimensions do a lot to increase cornering stability. The MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension setups are well-sorted and appropriately tuned to compensate for the short wheelbase, so the car isn't incessantly bouncing around over pavement irregularities.

Let it be known, this is not a driver's car – not one bit. But compared to its closest rival, the ForTwo, the iQ is leaps and bounds better. It drives like a real car. Really.

What trips us up, though, is the price compared to larger yet still frugal subcompacts.

So, the Scion iQ presents itself to be a surprisingly smart package (and yes, pun totally intended). The only thing that's troubling is the price – $15,995 to start. Sure, that's $1,000 more than a ForTwo Passion coupe, but it's totally worth it. What trips us up, though, is the price compared to larger yet still frugal subcompacts. For example, the orange iQ you see here: it's $18,427, including $730 for destination. For that price, you could have a host of four- or five-door compact cars that are more powerful, offer more interior space and even get better fuel economy, and the realist inside me would have a seriously hard time plunking that sort of coin on something other than a Kia Rio, Chevrolet Sonic or Honda Fit.

But the sheer entertainment value of the iQ and its clever packaging is exactly why it works and why I consider it a sort of guilty pleasure. It's pleasant to drive, comfortable, attractive and relatively efficient. It's more of a fashion accessory for city-dwellers than a truly great all-rounder, but in a segment benchmarked by the Smart, it's easily a class-leader. Even then, it fits well into the larger compact class. Thanks to its personality, I'd actually rather live with the iQ than the Scion xD, and it's far more rewarding to drive than a yawn-inducing Yaris.

The Scion iQ is far more than just a novelty. Being able to park a microcar in tight confines is one thing, but being able to use it on a daily basis is another. Thanks to its clever packaging and decent on-road feel, the iQ proves that microcars can certainly exist in this market. They just need to be... smarter.

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The perfect car for high-density urban areas where parking is a premium and you don't have your own garage. A far better choice then the awful Smart car.
It is clear that Toyota has put a lot of thought in this vehicle - too bad their mainstream sedans seem to be thoughtless by the numbers bland mobiles. Too bad they didn't spend more time on how to get the MPG up to at least 40MPG on the highway. There had to be more tricks they could have done to at least a couple more miles - at least for marketing purposes.
If you need a micro car, this really is the only choice unless you can manage another 25 inches to get a Mini Cooper.

It's hard to get high mileage in a car like this that is somewhat of a brick aerodynamically. Tall short cars like this have a large frontal area and insufficient body length to taper off smoothly to leave a clean wake behind them. There is probably some tradeoffs in the engine as well to keep it compact.

I'm actually a big fan of this car, it really is packaged beautifully and (if the seats are arranged properly) can hold 4 people for short trips just fine, which I think is amazing considering its size. However...this car should be getting much better mileage than 37, I wish they could offer the small diesel engines they have in Europe for 60+mpg. In addition, the price is too high for what it is, it should start around $11k or $12k. As mentioned, it would be hard for me to buy this when a new well equipped Sonic or Fiesta is available at the same price.

I agree with your comments, but the reason the iQ does well in Europe is because it also has that certain cache many small cars don't have; it's different, it's a talking point, it's beautifully built, and it's fashionable. Base/middling versions of the Aveo/Sonic and Fiesta can't equal that same appeal. Things are different in America, where the mindset very much remains dollars = sheetmetal. But the iQ was designed and developed in Europe so Toyota could tap into that highly fashionable European mantra that small is beautiful and into the new wave of tiny, high quality city cars.

Not so much a comment on this car specifically but, it's amazing just how much the weight of cars has grown in the past 20 years. This tiny car weighs more than a 1992-1995 Honda Civic CX. That statement is easy to dismiss, but when we consider that structural materials have become magnitudes stronger (and therefore it takes less of then to build a car of equivalent strength) it is pretty astonishing.

I would think the Fiat 500 would be a competitor as well, though perhaps a bit larger.
The cubby in between the driver and passenger seats is kind of genius. My mom always complains that cars don't have a good space to set her purse in.

Ditch the CVT for a manual (heck, 5 speeds is more than enough), and put a 1 liter turbo motor in that puppy. Working a more torquey engine less hard usually has a bit of benefit during highway cruising, though being shaped like a cubic helmet doesn't help. Something similar to Ford's 1.0 Ecoboost which has been getting rave reviews, or Fiat's twin air 800cc turbo engine that isn't the most frugal but a lot of fun.

It's not just for city people. I've had mine since March and it's perfect for my long, rural commute. I drive 35 miles to work with only 3 stop lights the whole trip - and I'm get about 42 mpg. Love it.

Hate to burst your bubble, but I just looked at a few pictures and I think the only body parts they share are the headlights, a-pillar, quarter panels and roof. :-X With the exception of the headlights, basically everything that can be bolted onto the iQ chassis is different.
The hood, fenders, front bumper cover, door handles (and therefore door skin), rear bumper cover and taillights are all different on the Cygnet.

I think the Spark and 500 should be considered as close competitors as well. Motor trend just test drove the new Spark, they said if you are looking in the A segment to dismiss the iQ and Smart immediately and check out the Spark and 500.

Th iQ and ForTwo aren't technically full-on A-segment cars. Indeed, Toyota's Aygo is its A-segment player and despite the diminutive iQ costing more than both the entire Aygo range and many Yaris models in the UK, it recently came in sixth place in the UK JD Powers satisfaction survey of all cars surveyed on the market.

Yes I thought it was a great result too. The top ten models being:
1 Kia Sportage
2 Jaguar XF
3 Toyota Prius
4 Skoda Superb
5 Mercedes E-Class
6 Toyota iQ
7 Honda Jazz
8 VW Passat CC
9 Lexus IS & Toyota Avensis (joint placed)
11 Mercedes B-Class
Technically the ForTwo and iQ are sub-A segment micro cars, but in terms of engine choices they're firmly A-segment city cars. Toyota's basic segment offerings A to E are the Aygo, Yaris, Auris, Avensis and Camry respectively.
I'm sure you'll come out with some negative or chastising commentary as a riposte, but then again you don't have the experience that I have of life on both sides of the pond.

I agree. I think that the fact that the ForTwo doesn't seat four means it's not really a competitor. This is for the person who wants a compact car that occasionally seats four, not someone who wants as small as possible, no matter the compromises.

To all who own a Scion or who are considering buying one. Do not waste your money on adding extended warranties and you should think an extra long time before buying a Scion and maybe a Toyota. They do not stand behind their warranties. After four trips to the Toyota of Vallejo dealership in Vallejo, Ca. I still have a blue tooth radio that will not hold its memory more than a few hours. After fighting with them to just replace the radio, they refuse and say it's Scion and Toyotas policy to not replace them. I even purchased enough extended warranties to carry me into another lifetime but it doesn't matter because I only had my Scion IQ for a week and a half when the radio/blue tooth started malfunctioning. After tearing into the service manager, then the general manager, I proceeded to call Scion Customer Care and didn't get anywhere with that person either. When I insisted that I speak to the manager of that dept. I got a name but they told me that that person was not available to talk to me today, on a Thursday?!! Also, not to mention that in my attempts to top the 36/37 mpg I began driving like I have a one ounce foot and maintained 65 mph on the hwy. For one week only I acheived 38 -39 mpg but for the last month I've only gotten 30-32mpg consistently! I wish I could return the car. Now I must commute in a car that don't like for the next three years until I can trade it in on the Fiat 500 that I was going to get in the first place. I am not done battling Scion & Toyota. Perhaps there will be a class action suit on the horizon? What are your thoughts?

Jack, I'm sorry for your understandable frustration. Unfortunately, a poor service department can spoil one's new car experience more than the car itself. I've owned Toyotas and lived all over the U.S. for the past 25+ years, and I've been so surprised by how much Toyota service departments do vary in terms of quality customer service, OR LACK THEREOF. I've encountered a few glitches with my new iQ, but fortunately, the local Toyota service department here (Tacoma, WA) has cheerfully resolved each problem, free of charge. Replacement and warranty service at this dealership has been first-rate, but I've had awful experiences similar to yours in other cities (Anchorage, AK, for example). That said, have you considered taking your vehicle to a different Scion dealership--in a neighboring city, perhaps?

Jack, I'm sorry for your understandable frustration. Unfortunately, a poor service department can spoil one's new car experience more than the car itself. I've owned Toyotas and lived all over the U.S. for the past 25+ years, and I've been so surprised by how much Toyota service departments do vary in terms of quality customer service, OR LACK THEREOF. I've encountered a few glitches with my new iQ, but fortunately, the local Toyota service department here (Tacoma, WA) has cheerfully resolved each problem, free of charge. Replacement and warranty service at this dealership has been first-rate, but I've had awful experiences similar to yours in other cities (Anchorage, AK, for example). That said, have you considered taking your vehicle to a different Scion dealership--in a neighboring city, perhaps?

I can remember when I bought my FIAT 500 last November. I was waiting for it to come out of detail, and saw one of these iQ's across the side street at a Toyota dealer.
one thing has never changed over all the years; NO ONE can build a car that says "cheap" like Toyota can. seeing the iQ brought back memories of '79 base model Corollas with sealed rear side windows, 4 speed transmissions when all the others had 5 speeds, bias ply tires in a radial tire world, and rubber mats with no carpeting. if you wanted cheap, then Toyota wanted to make sure the world knew it.
the iQ I looked at even had the optional (!!!) rear speakers for $100. they didn't seem to charge for the silver-painted plastic hub caps, however.
and that interior? well, you better like black, 'cuz that's all there is.
I turned around, and my new FIAT is just pulling up to the front door of the dealership. its mocha latte with a white and brown interior.
I ordered the car with two options, a spare tire and the aluminum wheels. I paid $15,800 for it. the standard equipment level is very impressive; much more stuff than the iQ, and its about the same price.
did I mention that the FIAT has a manual transmission, and the iQ is automatic-ONLY?

Are you sure you didn't see the iQs switchgear, centre stack, leatherette door trims with the built in speakers, and dashboard plastics? The interior of the 500 is certainly no more premium, and you can do a lot worse in this segment too. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big admirer of the 500, but it doesn't represent better value than the iQ. However, it's a pity the 6-speed manual isn't available on US-spec iQs.

Reread this comment.
Are you saying the $15,800 price quoted isn't accurate?
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because I don't feel like going to price one on Fiat's website. That absolutely is a better value than the iQ. I'm sorry you don't agree but that's how it is.

Reread this comment.
Are you saying the $15,800 price quoted isn't accurate?
I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because I don't feel like going to price one on Fiat's website. That absolutely is a better value than the iQ. I'm sorry you don't agree but that's how it is.

Are you saying the $15,800 price quoted isn't accurate?
You're barking up a different tree entirely. You can easily get a 500 Pop for $15.8K, and dealers in Pittsburg are offering them for less than $15K. But it's no more upmarket in quality or feel than an iQ, and it doesn't offer any significantly higher levsls of standard equipment.
You constantly harp on price and what constitutes better value. Are you severely short of money or something? Price wasn't a consideration when I bought the iQ - I could have bought a Yaris or Corolla for similar money just from Toyota without even looking elsewhere. For me, what mattered was its maneouverability in city traffic while maintaining decent fuel economy. Even among traffic jams and the steepest gradients the city has to offer, I've never dropped below an average of 34mpg around town. And that's brilliant for a 1300cc without a manual box.
I'm a huge fan of the 500 - I have been ever since it debuted knocking on five years ago. But if they offered the TwinAir in the States, I'd by one. Because it's such a neat concept. Likewise, I'm on a waiting list at a local dealer for a 2013 Abarth, because an Abarth is a machine you buy to keep in a collection.
You pays your money and takes your choice, as we Brits say. I work hard for my wedge, and I spend it on what I want for my own pleasure, nobody else's. I particular like well thought out designs, and in the realm of small cars, few have been so novel as the iQ since the advent of the original BMC Mini Minor.

I'm not short on money, just appreciate a good value. As much as I find small cars interesting, they just don't offer as much utility to me as other cars [tiny parking capability is cute but serves no practical purpose where I'm from]. As such, I expect and desire that a car offering less utility should cost less.

"the iQ I looked at even had the optional (!!!) rear speakers for $100. they didn't seem to charge for the silver-painted plastic hub caps, however."
It's difficult to find an iQ without the rear speakers, but you can opt not to have them. The alloys are a $760 option, but if you get them via a Toyota dealer after you've bought the car, they're $570 fitted.

Purely comparing design harmony and perceptual quality, the Fiat is lightyears ahead of the Scion. (just wish the 500 euro seats were here instead of the marshmallows) The IP is a visual mess of inconguent shapes and form intersections. The door hardware is the same. The seats are covered in PE T-shirt knit fabric of the cheapest look and feel. I won't even start on the extereior side and rear window graphics! If you want to be different you can cut your nose off, but that's not different / good, and Toyota keeps showing up different / EWW!

[blocked]

Spare tire is actually an option? WTF! Only time I want the spare as an option is if I have run flat tires.
All of these micro cars that the US sells right now are chick like cars. It's not the size of that car that gives me that opinion, it's the styling. Nothing is edgy or aggressive and everything has female flowing lines to it.
Besides the Abarth, there are ZERO other engines that are good in this class. Seems like they all have crappy old technology running them. These lightweight microcars should all have 31city min and 40hwy mins.
OR
Throw in some nicer engines!
Mazda Skyactive (in the Mazda3 it returns) 28/40. Subtracting 1000+lbs should yield 32city / 43hwy. AND have 155hp.
Ford Ecoboost 1.6 (Escape SUV 3500lbs) 23/33 -remove 1200lbs and more areodynamic - 29/38
Since you are using less engines you will lower the overall costs. (see Nissan in the early 2000's) They are now doing great as a company. Big reason - V6 in the altima, maxima, murano, G35, M25, FX35, etc were all the same to lower costs.
The Abarth is a nice first try but it's heavy for how small of a car (nearly 2600lbs). What makes it weigh more than a Prius C hybrid? It gets respectable gas mileage of 28/34 but still should be MUCH higher given it's in the micro car class. Mazda gets the same city and 6 more highway with essentially the same HP (155) in a MUCH larger car.

"It's completely laughable that you claim absolute reliability for the 500, given that Fiat is demonstrably the worst car maker in Europe."
If you live in Europe and know Fiats well enough, you'll know that in the real world, Fiats are just as reliable as any other new mainstream car you can buy. That isn't a claim that they have "absolute reliability" - no manufacturer can admit such a claim because cars are consumable products which suffer wear and tear of various degrees. Whatsmore, Fiat's JTD units are arguably some of the best diesels on the market.
"Now, maybe you have no experience with modern cars, comparing only to old British roadsters. But Being based on another Fiat does little to engender confidence in reliability. Perhaps when you leave Italy and move to a First World country, you'll have cars with real reliability to compare with."
I've had plenty of experience of motoring since I passed my driving test almost thirty years ago. That includes Fiats from the 1980s, 1990s, and today. If you live in 1978, I'd say your notions regarding Fiat wasn't too far from the truth, but in 1978 many cars were awful by today's standards. But this isn't 1978. And if you by a Fiat 500, what are you chances of witnessing worse reliability than any of its mainstream competitors from Europe and Japan? Practically none.
"There is ZERO chance that a Fiat, the absolute least reliable OEM in Western Europe, is going to match industry-leading Toyota in reliability."
I never said that. What I did say that you're unlikely to suffer unreliability with a 500. And indeed, you're not likely to, nor are you likely to with the 500's sister products - the Panda, Ka, and Ypsilon. There's a real world out there, and often far removed from American stereotypes. I can assure you of that, but in saying that you'd need to have had the same tenure in the University of Life as I have.

"the secret is giving buyers a CHOICE. Toyota does not do that with the iQ."
Actually it does. In the majority of markets where the iQ is sold, it has a choice of 1.0 and 1.33 petrol engines and Toyota's excellent 1.4 litre D4D turbodiesel unit. There's also the choice of the CVT and a 6-speed manual with all engines.
But Fiat is just as guilty in the States as well; elsewhere, you get a choice of five petrol units and a turbodiesel in the 500. Transmissions include two manuals, a clutchless manual, and an auto.